Australian of Year David Morrison to push for a republic

Former Chief of Army David Morrison wants to use his time as Australian of the Year to push for a republic.

Accepting his award on Monday night, Lieutenant General Morrison vowed to continue his campaign for workplace diversity and gender equality but also - somewhat contentiously - lend his voice to the republican movement.

"It is probably time - 16 years after our last referendum - for us as a nation to at least start having a conversation about where we might want to go in our future," he said.

Gen Morrison is a member of the Australian Republican Movement, which Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used to chair.

His call came after almost all state and territory leaders, bar West Australian Premier Colin Barnett, signed a declaration calling for an Australian head of state.

Gen Morrison said it was up to government to decide when another referendum might happen, but the conversation needed to be had.

"Momentum, if it grows, will push its own timeline and if momentum doesn't grow and Australia doesn't want to have this conversation, then so be it," he said.

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"I will have done my bit as a member of a Republican movement in Australia, but I don't need to give it too much emphasis.

"I want to concentrate on issues around diversity and domestic violence as well, of course."

Gen Morrison, who retired from his 36-year military career in May 2015, earned global recognition for a video message to Australia's soldiers that went viral in 2013.

He famously told misbehaving troops to "get out" of the force if they could not accept female colleagues and treat them equally.

The proud Canberran will on Tuesday morning attend the National Australia Day Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremony, along with Senior Australian of the Year Gordian Fulde, Young Australians of the Year Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, and Australia's Local Hero of 2016 Catherine Keenan.